The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-03
THE POHlCK CHURCH.
Where Washington Worshipcd md
Was n Vcstryman.

| Whcro washington WOrsnipcu uHo
Was Vcstrymon.
After delightful drive through o
finely-wooded and well cultivated coun-
try / arrived at Pohick church, in Vir-
gnia, regarded with SO much reverence
by Americans, rs it was here that tor
many years that Gen. Washington
worshiped. The sexton unlocked the
large gate of the enclosure. The site OF
the church was selected by Washington
on account of its central position. and
its proximity to Mount Vernon. The
contractor was Mr.. Daniel French. 1t
was begun in 1863 and finished in l772.
The bricks were made in the county.
and the stone was brought from the
Isle of Wight The building was. 66l
feet in length by 45 in width and the
walls were 90 feet in height The en-
tire cost was eS77 sterling. The money
for the payment was raised by taxation.
The walls appear to have been brok-
en-, rs the repairs have been made of
new bricks. The church has an anci-
ent appearance, and is very much
larger than is usually seen in the coun-
try
There are two doors on the western
side, and twenty-siX windows. The
steps ale eight in number, built of the
same stone as the trimmings and case
ments of the doors. The church has
been thoroughly renovated. There are
two isles and four rows OF substantial
pews and beautiful chancel inclosed
with semi-circlc railing. During the
civil war the regiments stationed nj
Alexandria quartered their pickets in
this church, and the Pennsylvania and
Iowa union Soldiers stabbed their horses
in it. The stone Tagging of the isle
were torn up and thrown out, the pull
pit and pews broken up, and the pieces
sent rs mementoes or relics to different
states, TO relatives and friends. Wash
ington's pew met the same treatment.
The spot on which it stood, on the
north side, is pointed out to visitors.
The roof OF the church was pierre
ed with bullets; all the piastering
fell down; holes were chiseled out in
the corners of the church, which had
stone facing, to find the money sup
posed to be in the cornerstone, and
some members OF an Iowa regiment
carved their mines in the west corner
on the Stone facing near the door.
The list of the names of the original
vestrymen Of Pohick church was kind
ly furnished me by Virginia gentle
man of Accotink, who is quite an
antiquarian and had copied them
from the vestry book of 1772, which
has been found during the last three
months in the state of Now York,
where 1t had been treasured and bic
away by Virginia family. The frs
vestryman's name On tho list was
that of George Washington, and then
followed the names of George Mason,
of Gunston, who wrote the bill o.
rights of the state OF Virginia; George
w. Fairfax, baronet collector of the
kings's customs for the Potomac
Alexander Henderson, Martin Coburn
Col. Daniel McCarty, Gen. VIM. Payne
Thomas WILDER Golfer, and Mr. Elizer
Near the church is small grove
There arc also many graves. read tho
following inscription on a tombstone
over hundred years old:
40 tho memory Of Mrs. Susanna
Mills, wife of John Mills (mcrchant)
who departed this life June Il, IVA
aged 80 years.
"Wharer she was fosbear to say
Twill best be known on the great day,
When you aud all and every one
Must give account OF what was done.
To say no more she lived approved,
Died lamenied and beloved"
As | turned away 10 return home
ward nv mind was filed with thoughts
of tho different scenes which had been
enacted on aud around the historic
spot during peace and war, under the
same soft blue sky. with its feathcry
clouds, aud the same beautiful sur
roundiugs OF emerald green meadows
yellow-t,nted green fields and distan
hills flooded with waves of light catch